Braiding machine



May 27, 1930. D. H. MURPHY BRAIDING MACHINE Filed Nov. 16, 1928 5 Sheets- Sheet 1 a Lhv Rh 0 QM qw m 3.x j 9 Ww V, NM 4 m. E M 3 ATTORNEY May 27, 1930. D. H. MURPHY BRAIDING MACHINE Filed Nov. 16, 1928. 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 /N l EN TOR A TTORNEY May 27, 1930. D. H. MURPHY BRAIDING MACHINE Filed Nov. 16, 1928 3 sheets sheet 5 ATTORNEY Patented May 27, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DANIEL H. MURPHY, OF WEST HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE WIRE- MOLD COMPANY, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT nmnme MACHINE Application filed November 16, 1928. Serial No. 319,884.

This invention relates to improvements in braiding and other forms of machines adapt ed to produce a tubular fabric of interlocked strands, and more particularly to mechanism associated with such machines and constructed to crumple a strip of paper into a more or less rounded strand as it passes from a source of supply to the fabric forming point.

It has been proposed heretofore to form a protecting jacket or tube by interbraiding relatively large twisted strands of paper with smaller strands of cotton or other textile fibres to produce tough, durable and inexpensive tubular fabric. The present invention relates to a tubular fabric in which further advantages are secured through the employment of soft, readily compressible strands of crumpled paper in forming the braid or other tubular fabric, and more particularly to improvements in the machines employed to construct this improved tubular fabric. d

An underlying feature of the present invention resides in a tubular jacket formed of soft strands of crumpled paper that are adapted to spread laterally in the fabric to increase the covering effect of the fabric, and to close the interstices in the completed fabric in constructions in which the crumpled strands are laid close together. Such tubular fabric will also yield readily to accomlnodate the bending and flexing of the same.

As a result of this spreading tendency of the soft paper strands they will automatically close the cracks and crevices between the interlocked strands when laid close together to form a smooth tight jacket which will be free from open spaces-even when the jacket is bent.

In carrying out the present invention either one or both sets of the interlocking elements may be formed of soft, crumpled paper strands which are untwisted or substantially untwisted so that they will readily spread laterally to increase their covering effect or to close the interstices between the strands, and these strands may be braided, woven or otherwise interlocked to form the desired jacket or covering.

In constructing a braided Jacket formed 1n accordance with the present invention either the inner or the outer set of oppositely revolving carriers may be provided with the paper for the soft crumpled paper strands of the jacket, or if an all-paper braid is desired, both sets of carriers may be provided with the paper. Likewise, if the tubular fabric is woven the soft crumpled strands of paper may constitute either the warp or the weft of the woven fabric, or if desired the soft crumpled paper may be used as both warp and weft to form an all-paper, woven tubular fabme.

The paper strips may of course be crumpled into the desired'r'ounded strands and then wound onto tubes or the like ready for use in the braiding or weaving machine, but the present invention contemplates novel mechanism associated with the braiding or other form of tube producing machine, for imparting the desired crumpled condition to the paper strands as they are advanced to the braiding or weaving point. As a result of this arrangement the paper strands may be supplied to the shuttles or yarn carriers in coils of flat strips of paper which are subjected to a crumpling operation as the strips are drawn from the sources of supply to the braiding point. This obviously eliminates I the need of any preliminary crumpling operation before the packages of coiled paper are supplied to the looms or braiding machines, and reduces the cost of producing the tubular fabric.

A primary feature of the present invention therefore resides in a tubular fabric producing machine, such for example, as a braiding machine which is provided with either inner or outer carriers, or with both inner and outercarriers that are constructed to receive ribbon-like rolls of flat paper strips, and in crumpling devices or diesmounted between these rolls of paper and the braiding point and adapted to crumple the paper strips so that the paper will have the form of a soft rounded strand upon reaching the braiding point.

will be hereinafter described in connection tion.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view with parts in section of a braiding machine provided with the features of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view with parts in section of a fragmentary portion of the braiding machine of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view through the braiding machine of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a perspective sectional view through a modified type of braiding machine in WlllCll both the inner and outer carriers are constructed to support rolls of paper.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view through a portion of an inner carrier of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a perspective View of an insulated conductor provided with a paper jacket braided .on the machine disclosed in Figs. 1, 2 and 3;

Fig. 7 is a similar view showing a modifiedtype of braid constructed entirely of paper and constitutes the product of the machine shown in Fig. 4; and

Fig. 8 on an enlarged scale is a transverse sectional view through the covered conductor of Fig. 6.

The features of the present invention whereby the strips of paper are crumpled into a rounded strand as they are advanced to the fabric forming point have been illustrated in the drawings as applied to a braiding machine, but it will be understood that the present invention is applicable to other types of machines em loyed to form a tubular fabric of interloc ed strands.

The tubular jacket shown in Figs. 6 and 7 of the drawings may be braided on practically any well known type of braider provided the strips of paper employed in forming the braid are crumpled. into rounded strands before such strands are supplied to the braiding machine carriers. ()r if desired the crumpling of the paper may be performed simultaneously'with the braiding operation,

in accordance with the present invention, by

providing any well known or preferred type of braiding machine with specially constructed inner or outer carriers, or both inner and outer carriers that are adapted to support-rolls of ribbon-like strips of paper, and by further providing such braiding machines with crumpling devices or dies which are adapted to crumple the paper into more or less rounded strands as these strands approach the braiding point.

The features of the present invention, whereby the paper is supplied to the carriers in the form of rolls and is crumpled as it is delivered to the braiding point, is illustrated in the drawings as associated with a braiding machine having the construction disclosed.. in the Otto A. Frederickson apshown so that it is a plication, Sr. N 256,162, filed February 23, 1928, but, as above stated, this novel mechanism is well adapted to be associated with various types of braiding machines.

In the braiding machine illustrated in the drawing the operating parts of the machine are mounted upon a fixed frame 10 of well known construction which is supported at the desired height from the floor by legs not shown. The frame 10 is provided with a central hub, as is usual, which is connected toan'd supported by the laterally extending spokes or flanged. portions 11 of the frame 10, and the hub just mentioned serves to support the central hollow shaft 12, as is usual. Upon the fixed hollow shaft 12 is jou-rnaled a sleeve or shaft 13 which is adapted to support and rotate the driving disk 14 in a well known manner.

Within the annular supporting frame 10 is mounted the outer revolving drum 15 the central hub 16 of which is journaled upon the sleeve 13 and this hub 16 is secured to the outer, upstanding portion of the drum 15 by the horizontally disposed spokes or flanges 17.

Within the inner face of the upstanding provided a slot 18 adapted to receive the sliding shoes 19 provided at the outer ends of the inner yarn carriers 20. The inner ends of these carriers are supported by a fixed disk 21 which is rigidly secured to the upper end of the post 12. The outer revolving drum 15 and driving disk 14 are rotated in opposite directions a well known manner by driving means including a beveled gear not shown, but the upper portion of which meshes with the rin gear 22 secured to the under face of the hu% portion 16 of' the outer revolving drum 15.

In carrying out the present invention each inner carrier 20 is iven the construction I pted to receive a roll or dlsk 23 of paper which preferably consists of a comparatively narrow, ribbon-like sheet of thin, flexible paper, and this roll of paper, in the construction shown, is wound upon a'tubular core 24 which core is mounted upon a fixed spindle or post 25 that extends upwardly from the floor or base 26 of the inner yarn carrier, the construction being such that the entire disk or roll of paper may rotate about the spindle 25 as the paper strand 27 extending from this roll to the braiding point is unwound from the roll or mass of paper 23. It mav be desirable to provide tensioning means adapted to engage the outer face of the roll 23'to prevent the same from unwinding too freely and this is accomlished, in the construction shown, by the ent spring 28, one end of which is rigidly secured to an endwall of the inner carrier 20 and the opposite end portion pressed yieldlngly against the outer periphery of the coil 23, as will be apparent from Fig. 2 of the drawing.

As above stated, an important feature of the present invention resides in the construction whereby the ribbon-like sheet of paper is crumpled into a rounded strand as it passes from the source of supply to the-braiding point, and this is accomplished, in accord- V ance with the present invention, by passing this strand of paper through crumpling means which may constitute a die 29 having the form of a threaded block secured to an upstanding wall 30 of the inner yarn carrier and through this block is provided a hole through which the paper strand 27 is drawn, and the entrance to this hole preferably flares outwardly, as indicated by 31, to promote the crumpling operation as the strand of paper enters the die 29. This die, in addition to crumpling the paper, Will serve to tension the same as it is drawn to the braiding point. p

The means for supporting the inner carriers and for propelling them about the braiding point may be of any usual or pre ferred construction and the outer end of each carrier is supported as above stated by the shoes 19 Which extend into the slot or slideway 18, and the inner end of each carrier is supported by a rotating disk 32 which rests upon the runway 33 formed upon the fixed disk 21. Each inner carrier is driven forward, in the construction shown, by a push roller 34 which cooperates with a roller 35 rot-atablysupported at the outer portion of the inner carrier. It is desirable to rotate the cooperating rollers 34 and 35 to facilitate the passage of the outer strands of yarn 36 between them, and this is accomplished, in the construction shown, by constructing each driving roller 34 so that its outer end portion will rest against the under face of the overhanging track or annular projection 37, and each roller 34 is journaled upon a stub shaft which projects outwardly fromthe upstanding bracket 38, and each of these brackets is pivotally mounted at 39 upon the driving disk 14 and is urged upwardly by a spring 40. The construction is such that the driving disk 34 is yicldingly held in rolling engagement with the track 37, all of which is more fully set forth in the F-rederickson application above referred to. r

In the construction shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the outer strands of yarn 36, which may be formed of cotton or other textile fibres, are supplied from the yarn masses 41 which are rotatably supportedby the brackets 42 that extend upwardly from the overhanging ring 43 mounted upon the outer revolving drum. The outer strands of yarn 36, in the construction shown, are led from the yarn masses 41 over the guide rod 44 and then downwardly through a slot 45 in the ring 43'. From this point "each strand passes to aguide 46 and then to a notch near the outer end of a rod 47 that projects outwardly from the upper portion of the outer revolving drum, and each strand 36 extends inwardly from the guide notch of a rod 47 through a slot 48 in the outer revolving 'drum to the braiding point.

a In the construction shown the outer strands .with a deflector plate 50 which serves to direct thestrands 36 that are not elevated by the fixed deflector plates 49 downward under the inner yarn carrier, as more fully set forth in the Frederickson application above referred to. Each inner yarn carrier 20 is preferably provided near its inner end with the heart-shaped guide -51 which operates in the usual manner to guide the inner strand of yarn 27 to the braiding point and serves also to hold the outer strand of yarn 36 clear of the inner carrier. The braiding point 52 is formed at the lower end ofa die 53 adapted to have the braided conductor 54 drawn up- Wardlytherethrough and this die, in the construction shown, is supported by a transversely extending bar 55 the opposite ends of which are secured to the revolving ring 43.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that the paper strands 27 supplied by the inner yarn carriers are delivered to the braiding point in a crumpled'but untwisted or substantially untwisted condition and are therefore free to spread laterally under pressure to fill up the cracks or interstices between the interlocked-strands of the braided sheath 56. This braided jacket, in the construction shown, is formed of the well known 14-1 type of braid, but it will be apparent that various other types of braids may be constructed of the soft, crumpled paper 27, inaccordance with the present invention. Or, if desired, the paper strands may be woven or otherwise interlocked.

If desired, the paper strands employed in i forming the braid 56 may be supplied from.

the outer yarn carriers rather than the inner carriers, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings, or, if preferred, the condufctor inner yarn carriers 20 may be the same as the inner yarn carriers above described and shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, but in this modified construction the outer yarn masses 41 of Figs. 1, 2 and 3 have been replaced by the cup-shaped brackets 57 adapted to support the coil of paper 23 and this bracket' 57 is jacket for preferably provided with a central post 58 whereupon this strand 60 is led'through the.

various guides. to the braiding point in a manner above described.

In the all-paper braid shown in Fig. 7, as the product of the braiding machine of Fig. 4, it will be noted that one set of strands27 is larger thanthe other set of strands 60, but this is not an essential feature of the, present invention since these two sets of strands may have the same or different size, as desired. The braided jackets just described may be employed for various purposes and are shown as constituting a coverin for the conductor wire 61 which is provided with the insulated material 62. i

It will be apparent from the foregoing that the paper braid shown in Figs. 6 and 7 of the drawings may be rapidly producedat low cost and that, due to the soft condition of the paper strands whereby they will readily spread laterally under pressure, the braid may be given a smooth, tightly closed construction that forms an excellent protecting electric conductors and for other purposes. It will also be understood that since the paper strips are crumpled as they are advanced to the braiding point, the paper may be supplied to the carriers in the form of the rolls 23 which can be manufactured at low cost.

The tubular fabric herein shown and described as formed of crumpled paper is claimed in my copending application Serial No. 319,885, fifed Nov. 6, 1928.

What is claimed is 1. In a braiding machine, in combination, a carrier for a braiding element adapted to supporta roll formed of a narrow sheet of paper, and means mounted between'said roll and the braiding point in position to act upon the strip of paper as it is advanced .by the braiding mechanism and constructed to crumple the strip of paper into a more or ing point.

2. In a braiding machine, in combination,

. a carrier for a'braiding element adapted to 3. In a machine for forming a tubular fab- I ric of interlocked strands, in combination, a

less-- rounded strand that is deliveredto the braidthe braiding point.

carrier for supplying one of said strands to the fabric forming point and adapted to support a ribbon-like mass of paper, and means mounted between said mass and the fabric forming point to act upon the paper asit is advanced by the fabric forming mechanism and adapted to crumple the strip of paper into a more or less rounded strand that is delivered to the fabric forming point.

4'. In a braidin machine, in combination, an inner carrier adapted to support a ribbonlike roll of paper, means for advancing the inner carrier about a braiding point, and a die mounted upon the inner carrier to act upon the paper as'it is advanced by the braiding mechanism and adapted to crumple the strip of paper into a more or less rounded strand that is: delivered to the braiding point.

5. In a braiding machine, in combination, a carrier for a braiding element adapted to support a mass of thin, flexible, sheet-like strip paper, and means supported between said mass of'paper and the braiding point to act upon the paper as it is advanced in the direction of its length by the braiding mechanism and adapted to crumple the strip of paper into a more or less rounded strand that is delivered to the braiding point.

6. In a machine for forming a tubular conductor covering of interlocked strands, in combination, a carrier for supplying one of said strands to the cover forming points and adapted to support a mass formed of a narrow sheet of paper, mechanism for advancing said carrier about the cover forming point, and means mounted between said mass and the cover forming point to travel with the carrier and adapted to crumple the strip of paper into a more or less rounded strand that is delivered to said point.

7 In a machine for forming a tubular fabric of interlocked strands, in combination, means for supporting a ribbon-like mass of paper so that the strand of paper may be drawn from the supported mass to the fabric.

forming point, means mounted between said mass and the fabric forming point to act on the paper as it is advanced by the fabric forming mechanism and constructed to crumple the strip of paper into a 'soft readily compressible strand that is delivered to the fabric forming point, and mechanism for interlocking said crumpled strand of paper with otherstrands tofform a tubular fabric;

8. In a braiding machine, in combination, inner yarn carriers, outer yarn carriers constructed to support ribbon-like rolls of paper for delivery of the paper 'to the braidlng point, means for. advancing the carriers about the braidin point, and crumplin'g devices mounted ad acent the outer yarn carriers and constructed to crumple the-strips of paper into asoft, rounded strand and to.tens1on the paper as it is drawn from said rolls to 9. In a braiding machine, in combination, inner and outer yarn carriers constructed to support a ribbon-like mass of fiat paper,

means for revolving the carriers about the braiding point, and crumpling devices associated with the inner and outer yarn carriers to act upon the strips of paper as they are advanced by the braiding mechanism and adapted to crumple the strips of paper into softreadily compressible strands as they pass from the masses to the braiding point.

10. In a braiding machine, in combination, outer yarn carriers, inner yarn carriers constructed to support ribbon-like rolls ofpaper for delivery of the paper to the braiding point, means for advancing the carriers about the braiding point, and crumpling devices mounted upon the inner yarn carriers and constructed to crumple the strips of paper into soft, rounded strands as the paper is drawn from said rolls to the braiding point.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my I name to this specification.

DANIEL H. MURPHY. 

